Biomaterial Database

A glucagon-secreting pancreatic alpha islet cell tumor presenting as spinal cord compression. 1987

E D Staren, and G A Steinecker, and V E Gould

We describe a patient with a pancreatic islet carcinoma presenting with spinal cord compression owing to vertebral metastases. Subsequent studies demonstrated a typical islet cell carcinoma by light microscopy. By electron microscopy, the neurosecretory granules were morphologically suggestive of glucagon production. Radioimmunoassay studies revealed markedly elevated levels of serum glucagon. Notably, the patient did not exhibit the characteristic glucagonoma syndrome. This case exemplifies clearly that elevated levels of immunoreactive neuropeptide hormones are not necessarily associated with overt hormonal syndromes. Possible mechanisms for explaining this apparent discrepancy include the production of immunoreactive molecules with weak or absent systemic biological activity. Nevertheless, the determination of immunoreactive hormone levels in neuroendocrine neoplasms is an extremely effective adjunct method for their diagnosis and monitoring.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007516	Adenoma, Islet Cell	A benign tumor of the pancreatic ISLET CELLS. Usually it involves the INSULIN-producing PANCREATIC BETA CELLS, as in INSULINOMA, resulting in HYPERINSULINISM.	Islet Cell Tumor,Islet of Langerhans Tumor,Nesidioblastoma,Pancreatic Islet Cell Tumors,Island Cell Tumor,Adenomas, Islet Cell,Island Cell Tumors,Islet Cell Adenoma,Islet Cell Adenomas,Islet Cell Tumors,Langerhans Tumor Islet,Nesidioblastomas,Tumor Islet, Langerhans,Tumor, Island Cell,Tumor, Islet Cell,Tumors, Island Cell,Tumors, Islet Cell
D008159	Lumbar Vertebrae	VERTEBRAE in the region of the lower BACK below the THORACIC VERTEBRAE and above the SACRAL VERTEBRAE.	Vertebrae, Lumbar
D008297	Male		Males
D010190	Pancreatic Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the PANCREAS. Depending on the types of ISLET CELLS present in the tumors, various hormones can be secreted: GLUCAGON from PANCREATIC ALPHA CELLS; INSULIN from PANCREATIC BETA CELLS; and SOMATOSTATIN from the SOMATOSTATIN-SECRETING CELLS. Most are malignant except the insulin-producing tumors (INSULINOMA).	Cancer of Pancreas,Pancreatic Cancer,Cancer of the Pancreas,Neoplasms, Pancreatic,Pancreas Cancer,Pancreas Neoplasms,Pancreatic Acinar Carcinoma,Pancreatic Carcinoma,Acinar Carcinoma, Pancreatic,Acinar Carcinomas, Pancreatic,Cancer, Pancreas,Cancer, Pancreatic,Cancers, Pancreas,Cancers, Pancreatic,Carcinoma, Pancreatic,Carcinoma, Pancreatic Acinar,Carcinomas, Pancreatic,Carcinomas, Pancreatic Acinar,Neoplasm, Pancreas,Neoplasm, Pancreatic,Neoplasms, Pancreas,Pancreas Cancers,Pancreas Neoplasm,Pancreatic Acinar Carcinomas,Pancreatic Cancers,Pancreatic Carcinomas,Pancreatic Neoplasm
D003131	Combined Modality Therapy	The treatment of a disease or condition by several different means simultaneously or sequentially. Chemoimmunotherapy, RADIOIMMUNOTHERAPY, chemoradiotherapy, cryochemotherapy, and SALVAGE THERAPY are seen most frequently, but their combinations with each other and surgery are also used.	Multimodal Treatment,Therapy, Combined Modality,Combined Modality Therapies,Modality Therapies, Combined,Modality Therapy, Combined,Multimodal Treatments,Therapies, Combined Modality,Treatment, Multimodal,Treatments, Multimodal
D005934	Glucagon	A 29-amino acid pancreatic peptide derived from proglucagon which is also the precursor of intestinal GLUCAGON-LIKE PEPTIDES. Glucagon is secreted by PANCREATIC ALPHA CELLS and plays an important role in regulation of BLOOD GLUCOSE concentration, ketone metabolism, and several other biochemical and physiological processes. (From Gilman et al., Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed, p1511)	Glucagon (1-29),Glukagon,HG-Factor,Hyperglycemic-Glycogenolytic Factor,Proglucagon (33-61),HG Factor,Hyperglycemic Glycogenolytic Factor
D005935	Glucagonoma	An almost always malignant GLUCAGON-secreting tumor derived from the PANCREATIC ALPHA CELLS. It is characterized by a distinctive migratory ERYTHEMA; WEIGHT LOSS; STOMATITIS; GLOSSITIS; DIABETES MELLITUS; hypoaminoacidemia; and normochromic normocytic ANEMIA.	Adenoma, alpha-Cell,alpha-Cell Tumor,Glucagonoma Syndrome,Adenoma, alpha Cell,Adenomas, alpha-Cell,Glucagonoma Syndromes,Glucagonomas,Syndrome, Glucagonoma,Syndromes, Glucagonoma,Tumor, alpha-Cell,Tumors, alpha-Cell,alpha Cell Tumor,alpha-Cell Adenoma,alpha-Cell Adenomas,alpha-Cell Tumors
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D013117	Spinal Cord Compression	Acute and chronic conditions characterized by external mechanical compression of the SPINAL CORD due to extramedullary neoplasm; EPIDURAL ABSCESS; SPINAL FRACTURES; bony deformities of the vertebral bodies; and other conditions. Clinical manifestations vary with the anatomic site of the lesion and may include localized pain, weakness, sensory loss, incontinence, and impotence.	Conus Medullaris Syndrome,Myelopathy, Compressive,Extramedullary Spinal Cord Compression,Spinal Cord Compression, Extramedullary,Compression, Spinal Cord,Compressions, Spinal Cord,Compressive Myelopathy,Conus Medullaris Syndromes,Spinal Cord Compressions,Syndrome, Conus Medullaris,Syndromes, Conus Medullaris